Aglaonema plant named ‘UFSB2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aglaonema  plant named ‘UFSB2’, characterized by its compact and symmetrically rounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; relatively short internodes and petioles; leaves with silvery grey-colored centers and venal areas and green-colored margins; and petioles with green-colored edges and cream-colored centers.

Botanical designation: Aglaonema hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘UFSB2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘UFSB2’.

The new Aglaonema is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Aglaonema hybrida cultivar Silver Bay, not patented. The new Aglaonema was discovered and selected by the Inventors from within a population of plants of the cultivar Silver Bay in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tip cuttings in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla. has shown that the unique features of this new Aglaonema are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar UFSB2 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘UFSB2’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘UFSB2’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema:

-   -   1. Compact and symmetrically rounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Relatively short internodes and petioles.     -   4. Leaves with silvery grey-colored centers and venal areas and         green-colored margins.     -   5. Petioles with green-colored edges and cream-colored centers.

Plants of the new Aglaonema differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Silver Bay, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are smaller and more compact than         plants of the cultivar Silver Bay.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Silver Bay.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter petioles than plants         of the cultivar Silver Bay.     -   4. Plants of the new Aglaonema had shorter and narrower leaves         than plants of the cultivar Silver Bay.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Silver Moon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,973. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Apopka, Fla., plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Moon in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more compact and denser than         plants of the cultivar Silver Moon.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Silver Moon.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema had shorter internodes than         plants of the cultivar Silver Moon.     -   4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema were shorter and         narrower than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Moon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aglaonema. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aglaonema.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘UFSB2’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the base of a typical plant of ‘UFSB2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in containers in Apopka, Fla. during the summer and early autumn in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Plants were grown under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Aglaonema production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 18° C. to 26° C. and light levels were about 3,000 foot-candles. Plants were about 18 months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Aglaonema hybrida cultivar UFSB2. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Aglaonema     hybrida cultivar Silver Bay, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 21 to 24 days at             25° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 35 to 40 days at             15° C. to 28° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 35             days at 25° C, to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots, winter.—About 40             to 45 days at 15° C. to 28° C.         -   Root description.—Abundant fleshy whitish-colored roots with             finer lateral roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Compact and symmetrically rounded plant             habit; broad inverted triangle. Vigorous, dense growth             habit; suitable for 15-cm to 20-cm containers. New leaves             initially upright, then arching outwardly to downwardly with             development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 30             cm to 37 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 58 cm to 64 cm.         -   Stem description.—Branching habit: Plants of the new             Aglaonema are freely basal branching with about 28 basal             branches developing per plant. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Strength: Strong; somewhat flexible. Length, soil level to             junction to two youngest leaves: About 12 cm to 16 cm.             Diameter: About 1.25 cm. Internode length: About 7 mm to             13 mm. Color, immature: Between 155C and 145B to 145C.             Color, mature: Between 144C and 145C; with further             development, 146B tinged with 163D.         -   Cataphylls.—Not observed. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate/whorled; simple.         -   Length.—About 17 cm to 21 cm.         -   Width (flattened).—About 7 cm to 8.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire; mostly flat with some broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Ground color,             between 147B to 137B; venal areas, 191A to 191B; center of             leaf, 191C. Venation: Midrib, 191C; primary veins, 191A to             191C. Developing leaves, lower surface: 147B to 147C.             Venation: Midrib, 147C to 147D; primary veins, 147B to 147C.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Ground color, between             147A to 137A; venal areas, 191A; center of leaf, 191B to             191C. Venation: Midrib, 191B to 191C; primary veins, 191A to             191C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 147B. Venation:             Midrib, 147C; primary veins, 147B.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Mostly erect, outwardly arching to about             25° from vertical with development. Length: About 14.5 cm.             Diameter, distal: About 5 mm. Diameter, proximal, flattened:             About 3.3 cm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Color, distal:             147C. Color, proximal: 147C to 147D; area adjacent to stem,             155C. Wing length: About 9.4 cm. Wing diameter, base: About             1.25 cm. Wing color, inner surface: 147D. Wing color, outer             surface: 147C to 147D; area adjacent to stem, 155C. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences have not been observed on     plants of the new Aglaonema. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Aglaonema. -   Temperature tolerance:

Plants of the new Aglaonema have been observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 13° C. to about 40° C. for several hours. 

1. A new and distinct Aglaonema plant named ‘UFSB2’ as illustrated and described. 